Can Maine Coons Jump?

Famous for being the largest domesticated cat breed in the world, does this big cat’s muscular frame and huge proportions restrict its movement? Or, can Maine Coons jump higher than the average domestic cat?

Maine Coon cats have impressive jumping abilities, reaching up to 7-8 feet high in a single jump.

Although these former semi-wild cats have strong legs and muscular bodies, they prefer using their high intelligence levels to find the easiest route to the top, rather than exerting energy jumping straight up to the top in a single jump.

Can Maine Coons Jump?

Maine Coon cats are excellent jumpers, reaching around 7-8 feet in height in a single jump. The highest a cat is capable of jumping is thought to be eight feet, in one explosive jumping movement!

These curious cats love surveying their surroundings from high places, so don’t be surprised if your Maine Coon kitten starts exploring the kitchen counters!

Like other cats, the Maine Coon is born with a flexible spine that enables them to jump high, thanks to their strong back legs, and back muscles.

These biological features enable these large cats to release powerful bursts of energy, in one go, thereby enabling them to jump far higher than their height.

By comparison, an average healthy domestic cat can jump six times their height!

Here’s a great YouTube video of our Maine Coon cat jumping up high, whilst playing with his favorite cat toy.

Their impressive jumping skills are thought to also derive from their former lives as wild cats in New England, where they relied on their instincts to hunt, climb, and jump to survive.

These domestic cats are now often kept as indoor cats, particularly in the United States where outdoor predators like the coyote pose a threat to this natural cat breed’s safety.

Consequently, there is less opportunity for cat lovers to witness the superb Maine Coon jump abilities firsthand.

Can Other Cat Breeds Jump Higher?

Some cats, such as the Egyptian Mau, or the Siamese cat are naturally more suited to jumping higher than other cat breeds (including the Maine Coon), due to their:

• Body Shape
• Flexibility
• Limitless Energy
• High Curiosity Levels

If you’re interested in finding out how the Maine Coon Vs Siamese Cat compare in other ways, make sure you read THIS GUIDE:

Characteristics Of High-Jumping Cats

If we look more closely at cat breeds known for their immense jumping abilities, we quickly see that they all have the following characteristics in common:

1. Long Back Legs

Cats born with long back legs have an added advantage to jumping higher than their short-legged feline friends.

This is because long legs make them taller, therefore their jump capabilities are more than short-legged cat breeds.

A cat’s jump potential can be calculated using the formula: Cat Height x 6

2. Athletic Prowess

Some cat breeds are far more agile, and enjoy:

• Speed
• Climbing
• Jumping

They are deliberately bred using a combination of two very athletic, agile cat breeds, to produce another extremely agile cat breed.

3. High Energy

Whilst some cats love to laze in the sun for hours, other cat breeds naturally prefer speed and continual motion. These cats are more likely to be good jumpers!

4. Agile

Some cat breeds are biologically built for speed and agility. 

5. Curiosity

More intelligent cat breeds tend to seek regular mental stimuli. The saying ‘curiosity killed the cat’ probably derives from these cat-curious breeds!

6. Spine

All cats are flexible, with their spines capable of rotating further than other animals.

This is a direct result of having 52-53 vertebrae, and cushioning between each bone, enabling them to twist their spines 180 degrees.

Here’s a funny picture of Bali, our Maine Coon cat. He’s sleeping twisted on the top of his cat tree. Seriously, this doesn’t look comfortable! But, I guess he is:

7. Shoulder Blades

A cat’s shoulder blades help them to be more agile since the blades are attached to muscle, rather than the cat’s skeleton.

This allows them to flex their bodies, and twist and jump at crazy angles, whilst also being capable of fitting through gaps you never thought would be possible.

Best Jumping Cat Breeds

The following cat breeds have more athletic prowess and are likely to jump higher than other cat breeds:

Egyptian Mau

This cat breed is athletic and agile, and regarded as the fastest domestic cat in the world, running up to 30mph!

The Egyptian Mau has very powerful legs that enable it to jump onto your shoulder without any issues.

Somali

The Somali is an intelligent cat breed thought to be a long-haired version of the Abyssinian cat.

Their muscular body, strong slim legs, and lithe bodies make them ideal jumpers.

The Somali cat is one of the 15 Cat Breeds Similar To The Maine Coon!

Savannah

This much-prized cat breed is extremely athletic and has a long body and legs that help them jump higher.

They are a naturally inquisitive cat breed that enjoys climbing and jumping.

Find out how the Savannah Vs Maine Coon cat breeds compare, in this guide:

Manx

The Manx cat is built for speed, despite not always having a tail! Or, if they do, it’s often only a tiny tail!

This cat breed is great at jumping, whilst also being fast, and athletic.

If you’re interested in learning how this cat breed compares to the Maine Coon, take a look at our complete guide: Maine Coon Vs Manx Cat.

And if you cannot decide between these two beautiful cats, maybe you’ll love the Manx Maine Coon Mix Cat!

Siamese

The Siamese cat is an extremely active and intelligent cat breed known for its superb jumping abilities.

Occicat

The Occicat has a large, solid muscular frame. They are very agile and known for their speed and quick-moving abilities.

Oriental

Oriental cats are known for being curious, and can often be found climbing and jumping simply to entertain themselves!

They require lots of play with their owners to keep them entertained.

If you’re wondering how the Maine Coon Vs Oriental Cat breeds compare, read this!

Abyssinian

This athletic, active cat breed is extremely agile and always on the move.

These stunning felines are one of the 15 Cat Breeds That Gets Along With Dogs:

Bengal

Bengal cats like to get their owner’s attention by jumping up onto the kitchen countertops, or bookcases.

They are great climbers, and can often be found climbing or jumping to the highest places in your home.

Did you know that the Bengal cat is one of the 10 Most Expensive Cat Breeds In The World?!

How Far Can A Maine Coon Cat Jump?

A Maine Coon cat can jump 7-8 feet, in a vertical motion. This is the same distance as the average cat.

The furthest cat jump on record (from a non-Maine Coon cat breed) is from a cat named Waffle the Warrior Cat. Records show he jumped 213.36 cm (84 inches):

“The longest recorded cat jump belongs to Waffle the Warrior Cat who jumped 213.36 cm”

cat-world.com

There are no physical reasons why the Maine Coon cannot jump as far as a normal cat.

Fun Fact About Maine Coon Cats!

Maine Coon cats jump less than normal cats because they are intelligent felines that prefer to only jump when necessary!

These smart big cats use their intelligence to find the easiest route to the top, rather than jumping straight up in one explosive movement. Pretty smart, huh?!

How High Can A Maine Coon Cat Jump?

Maine Coons are the largest domestic cat breed reaching up to 22lbs in weight. They have strong hind legs and can jump 7-8 feet high.

These former wild cats originate in Maine, United States, and grow to 10-16 inches tall once fully grown.

Despite being the biggest cat breed in the world, the Maine Coons muscular build and strength do not prevent this popular cat breed from jumping high.

For more information about how high Maine Coon cats can jump, read this guide.

11 Reasons Why Your Maine Coon Can’t Jump

If your once-active Maine Coon no longer seems willing to jump around, it may have one of these seven underlying medical health conditions.

Contact your preferred veterinary professional ASAP so they can decipher what the issue is.

Health issues that often impact or prevent a cat from jumping, include:

1. Hip Dysplasia

The Maine Coons large physical frame makes them prone to hip dysplasia, a condition that should be monitored, as in rare cases it may cause paralysis.

This disease causes arthritis which is not usually considered a huge issue as it can be managed with pain medication.

Here are the 9 Signs Of Cat Arthritis to watch out for.

Read our full guide on Maine Coon Hip Dysplasia:

2. Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a commonly diagnosed heart problem in cats, where the muscular walls of a cat’s heart thicken.

This cardiac disease reduces the heart’s efficiency and has been known to cause symptoms in other areas of the cat’s body.

Read our complete guide on Maine Coon Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

3. Spinal Muscular Atrophy

This hereditary genetic disease causes a loss of motor neurons in the lower spinal cord and atrophy in the hind limbs, leading to progressive deterioration in a cat’s stability levels.

Cats with spinal muscular atrophy are likely to have an unsteady gait and posture abnormalities. Symptoms usually appear when the kitten reaches 3-4 months old.

Read our full guide on Maine Coon Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

4. Arthritis And Joint Problems

Feline arthritis is rather painful for a cat because osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease causes the cat’s joint to stop working correctly, due to inflammation.

Here’s how you can help a Maine Coon Suffering From Joint Problems.

5. Ligament And Tendons

A cat may stop jumping if they damage their ligaments and/or tendons since these enable the cat to move freely.

6. Cracked Paw Pads

Outdoor cats are more prone to developing cracked paw pads from walking over rough surfaces.

Cat specialists also claim harsh textured litters can damage the cat’s paw pads and make them less willing to jump.

7. Diabetic Neuropathy

This is a common chronic complication of diabetes in cats, often detected when a cat shows signs of:

• Muscle Atrophy
• Plantigrade Posture
• Hindlimb Weakness
• Decreased Jumping Ability

A Maine Coon cat with diabetes requires special care, to reduce their chances of developing diabetic neuropathy, which can cause numbness and pain in its legs.

These are the 7 Signs Of Maine Coon Diabetes.

8. Bone And Joint Cancer

A cat with bone or joint cancer will experience the following symptoms:

• Pain
• Lameness
• Swelling in their bones and joints

Here are 5 Ways To Prevent Cancer In Cats.

9. Pododermatitis

Pododermatitis in cats is a condition where the cat develops severe inflammation on their foot pads or feet.

If all of their pads are inflamed at the same time they will not be interested in jumping.

10. Neuromuscular Disorders

This disorder significantly limits a cat’s jumping abilities because their nerves and muscles stop working correctly.

Simple movements become more challenging for the cat, and owners might notice their cat’s muscles twitching.

11. Infectious Diseases

If a cat’s central nervous system is affected, its ability to jump and walk will be limited.